Cypress Opens Early, Prepares for Olympic Games

At A Glance

Where

Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, B.C.

Price

SkiCards cost $56 CAD for adults, $47 CAD for youths, and $31 CAD for children

Cypress Mountain, which opened in mid-November for the third-earliest opening in the resort's history, is up and running for the year. However, preparations for the upcoming Olympic Games have changed the nature of skiing and riding at the resort this winter.

Cypress, like other Coastal Mountain resorts, benefited from early November snows, prompting the resort to run its lifts for skiing and snowboarding in mid-November. Those hitting the slopes before the Olympics get to preview some of the venues for the Games as Cypress Mountain is hosting the Freestyle Aerials, Moguls, and Ski Cross and the Snowboard Half Pipe, Parallel Giant Slalom, and Snowboard Cross.

Every upside, however, has a downside as Cypress visitors this winter must dodge construction zones for the upcoming Games. Lot 1 and the Lodge Lot will be off limits for most of the season, relegating parking to Lot 2 and the Highway Lot. Lot 3 will only be available for public parking until Jan. 3 and after March 15. Some of the Eagle Express Chair terrain and Rainbow Ski Run will have partial closures or full closures during venue construction. No terrain park will be available either.

The resort will be closed to the public from Feb. 1 to March 8 during the preparation, competition, and wrap up of the Games. Skiers and riders will not be able to access the alpine or Nordic areas of Cypress during that time.

Skiers and riders at Cypress this winter can purchase the Cypress SkiCard, which grants discounts on lift tickets. The non-transferable, non-refundable card includes the first lift ticket free and discounts around 20 percent on all other days. SkiCards cost $56 CAD for adults, $47 CAD for youths, and $31 CAD for children. They are available online or at 40 Bell stores throughout the Vancouver area.